HYDERABAD: As the Congress government enters the second half of its tenure, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy is believed to be chalking out strategies to help the grand old party retain power in the state.
The chief minister, according to party insiders and those close to him, is looking to build on his government’s performance by intensifying the focus on governance, delivery on promises and political consolidation. The recent bureaucratic reshuffle, sources believe, is a clear indication that his government is entering a “crucial political and administrative phase”.
As the proposed delimitation exercise and the Women’s Reservation Bill are likely to have a significant impact on future elections, all political parties will be looking to assess how these developments could affect their electoral performance and how they should come up with strategies to achieve electoral success.
In view of this, Revanth is likely to accelerate the implementation of welfare programmes and fast-track major projects such as the Metro Rail expansion, Bharat Future City, Warangal airport, Musi river rejuvenation and several other key initiatives, sources say, adding that the appointment of outgoing Chief Secretary K Ramakrishna Rao as an adviser to the chief minister is a step in that direction.
It may be mentioned here that Ramakrishna Rao has been focusing extensively on the aforementioned projects and other priority initiatives.
Sources also add that the incoming Chief Secretary Sanjay Jaju, who is known for his aggressive and result-oriented working style, is expected to further accelerate project implementation and also expedite matters that are awaiting approval from the Union government.
Political pundits also believe that the appointment of senior IAS officer N Sridhar as principal secretary to the chief minister is aimed at dealing with issues being raised by the opposition, including the alleged Singareni coal scam. It may be recalled that Sridhar previously served as the CMD of Singareni Collieries Company Limited during the BRS regime.
CMO reshuffle to boost administrative machinery
The recent restructuring of the Chief Minister’s Office (CMO), involving appointment of senior officials to key positions and assigning new responsibilities to the existing officials, has sent a clear message that Revanth is keen on strengthening his administrative machinery for the next phase of governance.
The move indicates his intention to establish a more result-oriented and efficient administration while simultaneously intensifying efforts to connect with the public and ensure effective implementation of government programmes.
Sources say the Revanth dispensation believes it spent nearly eight to 10 months of its first two-and-a-half years in office dealing with successive elections — the Assembly polls in 2023, the Lok Sabha elections in 2024 and the sarpanch polls in 2025. He is now keen on spending the remainder of his tenure focusing on people’s issues and consolidating the party at the grassroots.
Sources, meanwhile, say that from the first day in office, the chief minister developed a clear understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of all government departments. Now, he wants to ensure that they perform well to enhance the financial situation of the state, which according to them was not rosy when he took over the reins.
The chief minister is likely to focus more on education and health besides implementation of welfare initiatives and development programmes in districts, sources add.
Turning delimitation into an advantage
The chief minister, according to sources, is also looking into the possibility of turning the proposed delimitation of constituencies to his and the party’s advantage.
As the Assembly seats in the state are likely to be increased from 119 to 182 and Lok Sabha seats from 17 to 26, Revanth is believed to be planning to accommodate senior leaders, who were denied party tickets in the previous elections or overlooked for nominated posts, by giving them an opportunity to contest the next polls.
Meanwhile, it is learnt that the Revanth Reddy dispensation is also trying to come up with plans to deal with the opposition’s criticism of unfulfilled promises, including those related to the provision of one tola gold to Kalyana Lakshmi and Shadi Mubharak scheme beneficiaries.
Sources say the government is planning to not only fulfil that promise but is also considering an upward revision.
The chief minister is also said to be keen on ensuring Congress’ electoral success in the three municipal corporations in the Greater Hyderabad region, which hitherto have been strongholds of the BRS and BJP.
It is against this backdrop that the government has intensified its focus on the Metro, Musi rejuvenation and Bharat Future City projects.
As these polls are being seen as the semifinals before the final — the next Assembly elections — Revanth is determined to make a strong electoral statement in these urban areas.
